Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, [email protected]

Contact: Dr. Morgan Russell, 325-653-4576, [email protected]

SAN ANGELO – “How Grasses Grow,” a new website resource for ranchers, land managers and landowners, is now available through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The multi-faceted site, https://agrilife.org/howgrassesgrow/, was developed by Dr. Morgan Russell, AgriLife Extension range specialist at San Angelo. It features information on vegetative reproduction of perennial grasses, a brief description of West-Central Texas dominant grass bud banks, fire effects on representative warm and cool season grasses, and published journal articles on bud banks.

“This website is meant to help the viewer gain a deeper understanding of how grasses grow, and the many differences existing among native and non-native, perennial grass species,” Russell said.

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Yellow Indiangrass on rangeland near Kerrville following a winter prescribed burn. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Morgan Russell)

The site serves as a database for species-specific information on some of the dominant grass species in Texas.

“These grasses are the lifeblood of our rangelands,” Russell said. “Our livestock and wildlife, ecosystem processes and overall plant community function depend on these plants for many reasons. Learning about how grasses establish, reproduce and sustain their species populations are key for any range manager. So my continuing goal with this project is to grow the website with more grass species information  and make this unique information more readily available with a click or two of the mouse.”

For more information, contact Russell at 325-653-4576, [email protected] or visit her new website.

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